Conventional birthing beds often have a detachable foot section. The removal of the foot section permits a caregiver to slide a footstool into the space vacated by the foot section so as to be in position to assist in delivery. The removed foot section must be placed somewhere for storage during the delivery. After delivery, the foot section is reattached to a patient support deck (hereafter, “the patient support”) of the birthing bed. The present invention comprises improvements to such beds.
The present invention will be described primarily as a birthing or delivery bed, but it will be understood that the same may be used in conjunction with any other patient support apparatus, such as a hospital stretcher, an examination table, or an operating table. Also, the present invention will be described primarily as a mechanism for attaching a foot section to the patient support such that the foot section extends generally horizontally in the plane of the patient support. But it will be understood that the same may be used for attaching a head section or a side panel to the patient support such that the head section or the side panel, as the case may be, extends generally horizontally in the plane of the patient support.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a patient support including a frame and a foot section having an upper surface. The foot section is coupled to the frame and movable from a raised position for providing support for a patient to a lowered position for storage.
Pursuant to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a patient support to support a patient including a frame and a deck. The deck includes a plurality of sections, at least one of the plurality of sections coupled to the frame and one of the sections being a foot section. The foot section defines a first position having a first generally horizontal plane with the another section and a second position spaced from the first generally horizontal plane.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrated embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.